Residents of at least 42 houses from several districts of l'Horta de Lleida demand from Adif that it assumes the damages they attribute to the increase in railway traffic in the area's bypass. The affected parties maintain that the passage of more trains has multiplied the tremors and the appearance of cracks in homes in Rufea, Empresseguera, Torres de Sanui, la Mariola, Vallcalent, Vinatesa and Artesa.
An expert study commissioned by the residents themselves and presented on Monday concludes that there is a correlation between the cracks detected in the homes and the vibrations caused by high-speed convoys. The report values the damages at 879,664.62 euros, an amount that those affected want to claim from the public company.
An expert report links the cracks with the passage of trains
The claim is supported by that technical report, which analyzes the impact of vibrations on properties located next to the railway line. Residents maintain that the problem worsened after the entry of new operators in the corridor and the increase in daily circulations through this point of l'Horta.
"Every time a train passes, the whole house shakes, it's like living every day with mini-earthquakes and there are cracks everywhere" - Tere Estruch, resident of Rufea
"The first cracks appeared between the year 2022 and 2023, just when new operators entered the railway corridor and we went from a circulation of 30 daily trains through the area to more than 60" - Tere Estruch, resident of Rufea
Another of those affected, also from Rufea, describes visible damage both inside and outside the home and assures that the vibrations are habitually perceived with the passing of the convoys.
"In the bathroom, in the rooms, on the exterior and interior walls and on the walls around the house, they are everywhere and, furthermore, when the trains pass, everything shakes" - Alejandro Narcís, resident of Rufea
"This causes the vibrations to be transmitted through the slope and when we have visitors, the guests get scared, but we have already gotten used to it" - Alejandro Narcís, resident of Rufea
The affected will request a declaration of responsibility
The neighbors have decided to take the next step and formally claim from Adif a declaration of responsibility so that it assumes the repair of the damages. Josep Maria Peiró, lawyer for those affected, has specified that this will be the way they will push to demand that the damages quantified by the expert assessment be repaired.
In 2024, Adif confirmed that train vibrations in l'Horta exceeded the legal limit in some points. That same year, the company implemented measures to reduce the impact of the passage of convoys in the area. Despite this, residents assure that the problem is still present.
"It is true that for a few months now the trains pass at a lower speed, but we don't know if it's because of the drivers or because of orders from Adif" - Alejandro Narcís, resident of Rufea
The claim now focuses on the public company recognizing its responsibility and facing a bill that amounts to 879,664.62 euros. The affected parties insist that punctual repairs in the homes are not enough if the origin of the vibrations is not corrected.
"We only want solutions, that they fix the damages we have and that the regulations be applied, because no matter how many repairs we make, if measures are not taken, the cracks will reappear" - Tere Estruch and Alejandro Narcís, residents of Rufea
With that petition, the residents of the different districts of Lleida seek that action be taken both on the damaged properties and on the impact of railway traffic in the closest environment to the l'Horta bypass.